Ethylated avermectins

ABSTRACT

Avermectins wherein one or both of the 3&#39;- and 3&#34;-positions of the oleandrose disaccharide moiety is substituted by an ethoxy rather than a methoxy group, process for their preparation; and their use as antiparasitic agents.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 118,684, filed Nov. 9, 1987, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to antiparasitic agents and more particularly to natural and non-natural avermectins wherein one or both of the 3'- and 3"-positions of the oleandrose disaccharide moiety is substituted by an ethoxy rather than a methoxy group; and to a process for their preparation.

2. Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,310,519 and 4,429,042 describe the avermectins, a complex of related agents having potent antiparasitic activity, and their production by aerobic fermentation of strains of Streptomyces avermitilis; namely, S. avermitilis ATCC Nos. 31267, 31271 and 31272. The last two strains cited represent a frozen vial and a lyophilized tube, respectively of a culture obtained by ultraviolet irradiation of S. avermitilis ATCC 31267.

EP 214,731, published Mar. 18, 1987, the counter-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 886,867, filed Jul. 16, 1986, discloses a number of compounds (referred to herein as non-natural avermectins) related to the natural or known avermectins but having a novel substituent group at the 25-position, and a process for their preparation by fermentation of an avermectin producing organism in the presence of certain specified carboxylic acids, or derivatives or precursors thereof. The S. avermitilis organisms used to produce the said novel C-25 substituted avermectins are S. avermitilis ATCC 31267, 31271, 31272 and NCIB 12121. The latter organism, described in EP 214,731, is derived from S. avermitilis ATCC 31271. It gives improved yields of the novel C-25 substituted avermectins when it is cultured in a semi-defined medium. Each of ATCC 31267, 31271, 31272 and NCIB 12121 may also produce, in addition to the novel C-25 substituted derivative, varying amounts of the known, or natural, avermectins wherein the 25-substituent is isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl (1-methylpropyl).

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 6512, filed Jan. 23, 1987, discloses S. avermitilis mutants ATCC 53567 and 53568, each of which lacks branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity, and their use to produce non-natural avermectins. Also disclosed is the use of O-methyltransferase inhibitors such as sinefungin, S-adenosylethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine in fermentations of said organisms to produce increased amounts of B avermectins, including those lacking methyl groups on the disaccharide moiety.

The carbon skeleton of the avermectins (depicted in formula (I) below) is derived from acetates and propionates and the C-25 substituent of natural avermectins from L-isoleucine (R=(S)-sec-butyl) or L-valine (R=isopropyl) [Fisher and Mrozik, "Macrolide Antibiotics", Academic Press (1984) Ch. 14].

By "known" or "natural" avermectins is meant those avermectins are produced by S. avermitilis ATCC 31267, ATCC 31271 and ATCC 31272 wherein the 25-position substituent is either isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl(1-methylpropyl). Avermectins wherein the 25-position substituent is other than isopropyl or sec-butyl (S-form) are referred to herein as novel or non-natural avermectins.

The strains of S. avermitilis cited in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. produce a class of substances described generically therein as C-076. The class comprises eight distinct but closely related compounds described as C-076 A1a, A1b, A2a, A2b, B1a, B1b, B2a and B2b. The "a" series of compounds refers to the natural avermectins wherein the 25-substituent is (S)- sec-butyl and the "b" series to those wherein the 25-substituent is isopropyl. The designations "A" and "B" refer to avermectins wherein the 5-substituent is methoxy or hydroxy, respectively. Lastly, the numeral "1" refers to avermectins wherein a double bond is present at the 22-23 position; and numeral "2" to avermectins having a hydrogen at the 22-position and hydroxy at the 23 position.

In this application no such identifiers are used as regards the 25-substituent of the non-natural avermectins. Identifiers A1, A2, B1 and B2 have been retained to refer to non-natural avermectins having the structural features corresponding to those of the natural avermectins as noted above.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,353 describes C-076 related compounds and their preparation by cultivation of MA-5218, a mutant strain of S. avermitilis ATCC 31272, obtained therefrom by ultraviolet irradiation. The mutant is identified as ATCC 31780. The C-076 related compounds produced by said mutant lack the C-076 furan ring. Additionally, in certain of the compounds reported, one or both of the oleandrose sugar moieties have been cleaved while in others the 5-position group was oxidized to a keto group.

Three classes of O-methyltransferase mutants of S. avermitilis that produce avermectins lacking O-methyl groups have been reported by Ruby et al., 6th International Symposium on the "Biology of Actinomycetes", Debrecen, Hungary, Aug. 26-30 (1985) and by Schulman et al, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 31, 744-7 (1987). The first class produces primarily B avermectins due to their inability to methylate the C-5 hydroxyl of the macrocyclic lactone ring. The second class produces 3'-O, 3"-O-bis-demethylavermectins (avermectins lacking the O-methyl substituent at the 3 position of both oleandrose monosaccharide residues), and which are referred to as demethylavermectins. The third class is unable to methylate at any position.

Schulman et al., Fed. Proc. 44, 931 (1985) disclose increased production of B avermectins by fermenting S. avermitilis in the presence of substances such as sinefungin, S-adenosylethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine which inhibit the enzyme avermectin B-O-methyltransferase which catalyzes the transfer of the methyl of S-adenosylmethionine to the C-5 hydroxy group. Streptomyces avermitilis mutants which lack O-methyltransferase activity and produce increased amounts of avermectin B components are also disclosed and referred to by Schulman et al. in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 29, 620-624 (1986).

S. avermitilis Agly-1, a mutant strain which produces virtually only avermectin aglycones A1a and A2a is reported by Schulman et al. J. Antibiot. 38(11), 1494-1498 (1985). Also reported is the fermentation of S. avermitilis Agly-1 in the presence of sinefungin which caused increased production of avermectin aglycone B components. Likewise, S. avermitilis O8, a high producing strain for avermectins, when fermented in the presence of sinefungin as inhibitor of O-methyl transferases, resulted in production of avermectins lacking O-methyl groups on the aglycone at C-5 and in the oleandrose disaccharide moiety.

Schulman et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 31, 744-7 (1987) speculate that although not yet demonstrated, it is highly probable that since methylation of the 3'- and 3"-positions of the disaccharide moiety of avermectins is inhibited by sinefungin, S-adenosylmethionine is involved in methylation of the disaccharide moiety.

The natural avermectins, as noted, are produced as a complex mixture of eight distinct but closely related compounds; formula (I), R=isopropyl and (S)-sec-butyl. While they have been recovered in substantially pre form (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,042), the methodology is, at best, laborious.

The fermentation-produced avermectins, natural and non-natural alike, all have methoxy groups at the 3'- and 3"-positions of the disaccharide moiety. Production of avermectins, especially novel avermectins, bearing substitutents which impact upon their solubility and/or polarity and, hence, upon their physiological and biological properties is a desirable goal. A further desirable goal is the ability to produce said avermectins so as to minimize the number and complexity of the products, and by so doing to increase the purity of a chosen avermectin, and thereby to simplify separation procedures.

In spite of the disclosures regarding the use of SAE as an inhibitor of avermectin B O-methyltransferase, there is no disclosure of its value as an ethylating agent for the disaccharide moiety and no mention of the formation of ethylated avermectins in the presence of SAE. The use of SAE as an avermectin ethylating agent was unintended and unappreciated, and the production of ethylated avermectins was not recognized by prior investigators.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that antiparasitic ethylated avermectins can be prepared by fermenting S. avermitilis strains in the presence of S. adenosylethionine. The compounds have formula (I) ##STR1## wherein the broken line at the 22-23 position represents an optional double bond;

R¹ is hydroxy and is present only when the double bond is absent;

R² is a disaccharide moiety having the formula ##STR2## wherein each of R³ and R⁴ is methyl or ethyl with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is C₂ H₅.

R⁵ is H or CH₃ ;

R is C₃ -C₈ alkyl, optionally substituted by a C₁ -C₄ alkyl group, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, C₅ -C₈ cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl moiety is C₂ -C₅ alkyl, C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl or C₅ -C₈ cycloalkenyl group either of which may optionally be substituted by methylene or C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulfur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by a C₁ -C₄ alkyl group or a halo atom; with the proviso that when R is alkyl it is not isopropyl or sec-butyl.

Also included in the present invention are compounds of formula (I) wherein one of R³ or R⁴ is ethyl and the other is hydrogen. Although said compounds have not yet been detected among the fermentation products of the examples presented below, either because they are produced in relatively small amounts and/or are masked by other fermentation products, they are believed to be present in fermentations carried out in the presence of SAE.

The ethylated avermectins are prepared by fermenting S. avermitilis strains lacking branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity and/or branched-chain amino acid transaminase activity in the presence of S-adenosylethionine (SAE).

S. avermitilis strains lacking branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity are produced by mutation of avermectin producing strains of S. avermitilis and especially by mutation of S. avermitilis ATCC 31267, ATCC 31271, ATCC 31272 or NCIB 12121. The mutants are unable to synthesize the natural avermectins except where the fatty acid, or a precursor thereto, bearing the isopropyl or sec-butyl (S-form) group is added to the medium in which the mutants are fermented. They are capable of producing natural and non-natural avermectins when fermented under aqueous aerobic conditions in a nutrient medium containing an appropriate primer acid or compound convertible thereto in the fermentation process.

The mutants, characterized by their lack of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity, are selected from the mutagenized colonies on the basis of a ¹⁴ CO₂ assay. In this procedure the absence of ¹⁴ CO₂ evolution by a permeabilized colony from a substrate of [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxoisocaproic acid or [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo-3-methylvaleric acid or [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo-3-methylbutyric acid indicates absence of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity.

The terms "ethylated avermectin" or "ethylated avermectins" as used herein refers to compounds having formula (I) above wherein the 25-substituent (R) can be any group assimilable at said position by the S. avermitilis mutants described herein and, in the disaccharide moiety R², at least one of R³ or R⁴ is ethyl.

The herein described mutants are highly valuable for producing non-natural ethylated avermectins by the processes disclosed and exemplified herein. They are especially valuable for production of preferred ethylated avermectins, i.e., compounds wherein the C-25 substituent is C₄ -C₆ cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl, optionally substituted by C₁ -C₄ alkyl group; 1-methylthioethyl, or a 5- or 6-membered oxygen or sulfur heterocyclic group, especially 3-thienyl or 3-furyl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The compounds of this invention are prepared by aerobic fermentation with a strain of S. avermitilis, preferably one which lacks branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity, in an aqueous nutrient medium comprising an assimilable source of nitrogen, carbon, inorganic salts and a primer compound of formula RCOOH, or a compound convertible to said compound (i.e., a precursor) during the fermentation. The acid, or compound convertible thereto, is added to the fermentation either at the time of inoculation or at some point during the fermentation. It can be added all at once or portionwise at intervals during the fermentation. The S-adenosylethionine can also be added at the time of inoculation or at some point during the fermentation, either all at once or in portions at intervals during the fermentation, or continuously. Production of the avermectin products may be monitored by removing samples from the fermentation, extracting with an organic solvent and following the appearance of the product by chromatography, for example using high pressure liquid chromatography. Incubation is continued until the yield of the product has been maximized, generally for a period of from 4 to 15 days.

A preferred level of each addition of the primer compounds (carboxylic acid or compound convertible thereto) is between 0.05 and 3.0 grams per liter. The primer compound can be added continuously, intermittently or all at once to the fermentation. The acid (RCOOH) is added as such or as a salt, such as the sodium, lithium or ammonium salt, or as a compound convertible to the acid as defined above. The acid, if a solid, is preferably dissolved in a suitable solvent such as water or (C₁₋₄) alcohols. The SAE is used at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.10 g/l and preferably at levels from 0.03 to 0.06 g/l.

The media used for the fermentation can, especially when the C-25 substituent is to be isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl, be conventional media containing assimilable sources of carbon, nitrogen and trace elements. When the C-25 substituent is to be a non-natural group; i.e., it is not isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl, the fermentation medium is one in which the chosen ingredients lack, or contain only minimal amounts of primer compounds wherein the R moiety is isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl.

After fermentation for a period of several days at a temperature preferably in the range of 24° to 33° C., the fermentation broth is centrifuged or filtered and the mycelial cake is extracted with preferably acetone or methanol. The solvent extract is concentrated and the product is then extracted into a water-immiscible organic solvent, such as methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol or methyl isobutyl ketone. The solvent extract is concentrated and the crude product is further purified as necessary by chromatography, for example using preparative reverse phase, high pressure liquid chromatography.

The compounds capable of utilization by the S. avermitilis of this invention for the biosynthesis of ethylated avermectins (formula (I) compounds) have formula (II-A)

    R-COOH                                                     (II-A)

including compounds convertible to (II-A) during the fermentation process. Said compounds are referred to herein as "primer compounds". In formula (II-A), R is an alpha-branched-chain group, the carbon atom thereof to which is attached the -COOH group is also attached to at least two other atoms or groups other than hydrogen. This definition, of course, embraces saturated and unsaturated acyclic and cyclic groups, including those optionally bearing a sulfur or oxygen heteroatom as a member of the acyclic chain or cyclic ring.

More specifically, R, which becomes the C-25 substituent, can be an alpha-branched C₃ -C₈ alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group; a C₅ -C₈ cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C₂ -C₅ alkyl group; a C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl or C₅ -C₈ cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methylene or one or more C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups or halo atoms (fluoro, chloro, iodo or bromo); or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulfur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups or halo atoms; with the proviso that when R is alkyl it is not isopropyl or sec-butyl.

Compounds convertible to RCOOH; i.e., precursors, in the fermentation process are compounds of formulae (II-B) wherein R is as defined above:

    R-(CH.sub.2).sub.n -Z                                      (II-B)

n is 0, 2, 4 or 6; and Z is --CH₂ OH, --CHO, --CH₂ NH₂, --COOR⁶ or --CONHR⁷ wherein R⁶ is H or (C₁₋₆) alkyl; R⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁₋₄) alkyl, or the residue of an amino acid, especially of aspartic acid, glutamic acid and methionine, e.g., --CH(COOH)CH₂ COOH, --CH(COOH)(CH₂)₂ COOH and --CH(COOH)(CH₂)₂ SCH₃, respectively.

Also included in this invention are the isomeric forms of formula (II-A) compounds, and of compounds convertible thereto during the fermentation process, and the isomeric avermectins at C-25 resulting from their use in the herein described process.

The source of the R group; i.e., whether it comes directly from R-COOH or is produced from one of the above precursors, or from any precursor, is immaterial to the production of the ethylated avermectins. The critical requirement of the process of this invention for their production is that the desired R group be made available to the S. avermitilis strains of this invention in the fermentation process.

Suitable compounds include the following:

2,3-dimethylbutyric acid

2-methylhexanoic acid

2-methylpent-4-enoic acid

2-cyclopropyl propionic acid

4,4-difluorocyclohexane carboxylic acid Lithium salt

4-methylenecyclohexane carboxylic acid

3-methylcyclohexane carboxylic acid (cis/trans)

1-cyclopentene carboxylic acid

1-cyclohexene carboxylic acid

tetrahydropyran-4-carboxylic acid

thiophene-2-carboxylic acid

3-furoic acid

2-chlorothiophene-4-carboxylic acid

cyclobutane carboxylic acid

cyclopentane carboxylic acid

cyclohexane carboxylic acid

cycloheptane carboxylic acid

2-methylcyclopropane carboxylic acid

3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid

2-methylthiopropionic acid

2-methyl-4-methoxybutyric acid

thiophene-3-carboxylic acid

hydroxymethylcyclopentane

3-thiophene carboxaldehyde

3-cyclohexylpropionic acid

3-cyclopentylpropionic acid

hydroxymethylcyclobutane

tetrahydrothiophene-3-carboxylic acid

3 -cyclopentyl-1-propanol

3-methylcyclobutane carboxylic acid Lithium salt

3-fluorocyclobutane carboxylic acid

3-methylenecyclobutane carboxylic acid Lithium salt

2-methyl-4-methylthiobutyric acid

tetrahydrothiopyran-4-carboxylic acid

cyclobutylmethylamine

ethyl cyclobutanecarboxylate

4 -hydroxymethylcyclopentene

2-(3-thiophenecarbonyl) propionic acid ethyl ester

S-2-methylpentanoic acid

R-2-methylpentanoic acid

S. avermitilis routants especially useful for preparing compounds of formula (I) are obtained by mutation of an avermectin producing member of the species Streptomyces avermitilis according to known procedures using any of a variety of mutating agents including ultraviolet irradiation, X-ray irradiation, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, ethylmethane sulfonate, nitrous acid and nitrogen mustards, e.g., N-methylbis (2-chloroethyl) amine, or like treatments. The mutagenesis can be conducted on spores or on a vegetative culture of S. avermitilis capable of producing natural avermectins, e.g., S. avermitilis ATCC 31272.

Following procedures well known to those skilled in the art, mutagenized colonies are selected on the basis of a biochemical assay method which permits screening of large numbers of randomly mutagenized bacterial colonies for ¹⁴ CO₂ production from [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo acids (Tabor et al., J. Bact. 128, 485-486, 1976) .

The methodology comprises growing the mutant colonies in the wells of a microtiter plate on a suitable nutrient medium, permeabilizing the cells with toluene followed by adding the [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo acid (e.g. 2-oxoisocaproic acid) to each well and checking the atmosphere above the fermentation for ¹⁴ CO₂. Alternatively, [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo-3-methylvaleric acid, or [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo-3-methylbutyric acid can be used in place of [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxo-isocaproic acid. Production of ¹⁴ CO₂ is conveniently checked for by placing moist Ba(OH)₂ -saturated filter paper above the individual wells to trap any ¹⁴ CO₂ released and detection of Ba¹⁴ CO₃, if any, by autoradiography. Mutants which lack branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity give autoradiograms approximating those of blank uninoculated controls; i e , no additional Ba¹⁴ CO₃ is produced by the mutants.

The morphological and cultural characteristics of the herein-described mutants are generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,042. The distinguishing characteristic of the mutants of this invention is their lack of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity, which characteristic is determined as described herein. The lack of said activity results in the failure of the mutants to produce the natural avermectins when grown on a defined medium substantially free of fatty acids RCOOH wherein R is isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl, or compounds convertible to said RCOOH during fermentation. A taxonomic investigation conducted by the American Type Culture Collection, confirmed that the characteristics of two mutant strains I-3 and HL-026 selected by the above ¹⁴ CO₂ assay bear a close relationship to those of the parental ATCC 31272 strain described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,042, but with certain exceptions. Thus, mutant strain I-3 (ATCC 53567) forms significantly fewer spore chains than does ATCC 31272, and mutant strain HL-026 (ATCC 53568) is practically devoid of aerial mycelia and spores, but the very few spore chains it produces are of similar character to those of ATCC 31272. Also, mutant HL-026 exhibits a doubtful capacity to utilize raffinose as a sole carbon source, whereas the parental strain and mutant I-3 strain are able to use raffinose. (In experiments by applicants, raffinose did not appear to support the growth of any of these strains). One further characteristic of mutant strain HL-026 was that it produced less melanin pigment than the other two strains and uniquely none at all on tyrosine agar. Finally, in contrast to the description given for ATCC 31272 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,042, we are unable to detect growth of the mutants or of ATCC 31272 with sucrose as sole carbon source.

Streptomyces avermitilis I-3 and HL-026 have been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty in the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Md., a recognized depository affording permanence of the deposits and ready accessibility thereto by the public if a patent is granted on this application. They have been given the designation Streptomyces avermitilis ATCC 53567 and ATCC 53568, respectively. The deposits are available during pendency of this application to one determined by the Commissioner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office to be entitled thereto under 37 CFR 1.14 and 35 USC 122, and in accordance with foreign patent laws in countries wherein counterparts of this application, or its progeny, are filed. All restrictions on the availability to the public of the microorganisms deposited will be irrevocably removed upon granting of the patent.

When fermented in a nutrient medium containing the appropriate primer compound and SAE the mutants of this invention produce a compound of formula (I) or, as is more usually the case, a mixture of two or more compounds of formula (I) in which R corresponds to the primer compound used. Up to twelve products, conveniently and trivially referred to as R-avermectin A1, A2, B1 and B2, according to the designations used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,042, can be produced. The "R-" group, of course, refers to the C-25 substituent. For example, when R is cyclopentyl the possible avermectins are two monoethylated disaccharide derivatives and one diethylated disaccharide derivative of each of the four cyclopentyl avermectins listed below:

    ______________________________________                                         Trivial Name     R.sup.1       R.sup.5                                         ______________________________________                                         cyclopentyl      double bond   CH.sub.3                                        avermectin A1                                                                  cyclopentyl      hydroxy       CH.sub.3                                        avermectin A2                                                                  cyclopentyl      double bond   H                                               avermectin B1                                                                  cyclopentyl      hydroxy       H.                                              avermectin B2                                                                  ______________________________________                                    

In the non-natural avermectins the C-25 substituent "R" of formula (I) is other than isopropyl or (S)-sec-butyl.

Compounds of formula (I) wherein the double bond is present and OH is absent may alternatively be prepared from the corresponding compound of formula (I) wherein R¹ is OH and the double bond is absent by a dehydration reaction. The reaction is performed by first selectively protecting the hydroxy groups at the 5 and 4" positions, e.g. as the t-butyldimethylsilyloxy acetyl derivative, then reacting with a substituted thiocarbonyl halide, such as (4-methylphenoxy)thiocarbonyl chloride, followed by heating in a high boiling point solvent, e.g. trichlorobenzene, to effect the dehydration. The product is finally deprotected to give the unsaturated compound. These steps together with appropriate reagents and reaction conditions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,335.

Formula (I) compounds wherein R⁵ is H may also be prepared from the corresponding compounds wherein R⁵ is CH₃ by demethylation. This reaction is achieved by treating the 5-methoxy ccmpound, or a suitably protected derivative thereof, with mercuric acetate and hydrolyzing the resulting 3-acetoxy enol ether with dilute acid to give the 5-keto compound. This is then reduced using, for example, sodium borohydride to yield the 5-hydroxy derivative. Appropriate reagents and reaction conditions for these steps are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,209.

Compounds of formula (I) wherein R¹ is H and the double bond is absent can be prepared from the corresponding compound wherein the double bond is present and R¹ is absent, by selective catalytic hydrogenation using an appropriate catalyst. For example, the reduction may be achieved using tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium (I) chloride as described in European Patent Application Publication No. 0001689.

The compounds of the invention are highly active antiparasitic agents having particular utility as anthelmintics, ectoparasiticides, insecticides and acaricides.

Thus the compounds are effective in treating a variety of conditions caused by endoparasites including, in particular, helminthiasis which is most frequently caused by a group of parasitic worms described as nematodes and which can cause severe economic losses in swine, sheep, horses and cattle as well as affecting domestic animals and poultry. The compounds are also effective against other nematodes which affect various species of animals including, for example, Dirofilaria in dogs and various parasites which can infect humans including gastro-intestinal parasites such as Ancylostoma, Necator, Ascaris, Strongyloides, Trinchinella, Capillaria, Trichuris, Enterobius and parasites which are found in the blood or other tissues and organs such as filiarial worms and the extra intestinal stages of Strongyloides and Trichinella.

The compounds are also of value in treating ectoparasite infections including in particular arthropod ectoparasites of animals and birds such as ticks, mites, lice, fleas, blowfly, biting insects and migrating dipterous larvae which can affect cattle and horses.

The compounds are also insecticides active against household pests such as the cockroach, clothes moth, carpet beetle and the housefly as well as being useful against insect pests of stored grain and of agricultural plants such as spider mites, aphids, caterpillars and against migratory orthopterans such as locusts.

The compounds of formula (I) are administered as a formulation appropriate to the specific use envisaged and to the particular species of host animal being treated and the parasite or insect involved. For use as an anthelmintic the compounds may be administered orally in the form of a capsule, bolus, tablet or a liquid drench, or alternatively, they may be administered by injection or as an implant. Such formulations are prepared in a conventional manner in accordance with standard veterinary practice. Thus capsules, boluses or tablets may be prepared by mixing the active ingredient with a suitable finely divided diluent or carrier additionally containing a disintegrating agent and/or binder such as starch, lactose, talc, magnesium stearate etc. A drench formulation may be prepared by dispersing the active ingredient in an aqueous solution together with dispersing or wetting agents, etc., and injectable formulations may be prepared in the form of a sterile solution which may contain other substances, for example, enough salts or glucose to make the solution isotonic with blood. These formulations will vary with regard to the weight of active compound depending on the species of host animal to be treated, the severity and type of infection and the body weight of the host. Generally for oral administration a dose of from about 0,001 to 10 mg per kg of animal body weight given as a single dose or in divided doses for a period of from 1 to 5 days will be satisfactory, but, of course, there can be instances where higher or lower dosage ranges are indicated and such are within the scope of this invention.

As an alternative the compounds may be administered with the animal feedstuff and for this purpose a concentrated feed additive or premix may be prepared for mixing with the normal animal feed.

For use as an insecticide and for treating agricultural pests the compounds are applied as sprays, dusts, emulsions and the like in accordance with standard agricultural practice.

Production of S. avermitilis I-3 (ATCC 53567) Step 1.

S. avermitilis ATCC 31272 was grown as a confluent lawn on New Patch Agar Medium for 12 days at 30° C. The medium comprised

    ______________________________________                                         V-8 Juice*        200        ml                                                CaCO.sub.3        3          grams                                             Agar              15         grams                                             H.sub.2 O to      1000       ml                                                Nutrient broth    1.0        grams/L                                           sodium acetate.3H.sub.2 O                                                                        1.4        grams/L                                           isovaleric acid   50         mg/L                                              isobutyric acid   50         mg/L                                              methylbutyric acid                                                                               50         mg/L                                              isoleucine        250        mg/L                                              leucine           250        mg/L                                              valine            250        mg/L                                              trace elements solution**                                                                        1          ml/L                                              ______________________________________                                         *A mixture of 8 vegetable juices (tomato, carrots, celery, beets,              parsley, lettuce, watercress and spinach) plus salt, ascorbic and              citric acids and natural flavors. Available from Campbell Soup                 Company, Camden, NJ.                                                           **Composition of Trace elements solution:                                      FeCl.sub.3.6H.sub.2 O                                                                    2.7 g                                                                MnSO.sub.4.H.sub.2 O                                                                     4.2                                                                  CuSO.sub.4.5H.sub.2 O                                                                    0.5                                                                  CaCl.sub.2                                                                              11.0                                                                  H.sub.3 BO.sub.3                                                                         0.62                                                                 CoCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O                                                                    0.24                                                                 ZnCl.sub.2                                                                               0.68                                                                 Na.sub.2 MoO.sub.4                                                                       0.24                                                            

Dissolve the above in 1 liter of 0.1N HCl.

Spores were harvested from 3 such plates and suspended in 20 ml. of 0.05M tris-maleic acid buffer, pH 9.0.

Step 2.

10 ml of the spore suspension was added to a vial containing 10 mg of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG). The vial was incubated and shaken at 28° C. for 60 minutes and the spores then washed profusely with 1% NaCl solution.

Step 3.

The washed spores were suspended in 1% NaCl and mixed with an equal volume of 80% ethylene glycol. This suspension was preserved at -20° C. and used as a source of cells to be screened for mutants. It gave approximately 10⁴ colonies/ml when germinated.

This spore stock was spread on YPD plates to yield approximately 100 colonies per plate (YPD medium comprises 10 g/l of each of yeast extract, Bacto peptone* and dextrose; and 15 g/l of Bacto agar*, adjusted to pH 6.9 before autoclaving). Ingredients marked with an asterisk are available from Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich. 48238.

Step 4.

Single colonies were picked from plates after 2-3 weeks of growth at 28° C. and placed in individual wells of a standard 96 well microtiter plate. Also, a small quantity of the colony was patched onto a fresh agar medium to serve as a source of viable cells when mutants are identified.

Step 5.

To each well was added approximately 75 microliters of a liquid M9 salts medium containing 1% glucose, 0.1% casamino acids, and 0.01% of each of isovaleric, isobutyric and 2-methylbutyric acids. After several days of incubation at 28° C., the cells were assayed for the presence of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase. (Each liter of M9 salts medium comprises 6g Na₂ HPO₄, 3g KH₂ PO₄, 0.5g NaCl and 1 g of NH₄ Cl. The medium is autoclaved and then 1 ml of each of sterilized 1M MgSO₄ and 0.1M CaCl₂ are added aseptically).

Step 6.

A microsuspension of 5% toluene in M9 salts medium was prepared by a brief sonication of the immiscible mixture. To 25 ml of this suspension was added 1.2 ml of a solution containing [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxoisocaproic acid, 2.5 microcurie/ml and 10.0 microcurie/micromole. 50 Microliters of this overall mixture was added to each of the wells of the microtiter plates containing the colonies to be assayed.

Step 7.

The ¹⁴ CO₂ produced from each well was trapped and visualized by the procedure described by Tabor et al., J. Bacteriol. 128 485-486 (1976) entitled "Convenient Method for Detecting ¹⁴ CO₂ in Multiple Samples: Application to Rapid Screening for Mutants". Mutants lacking active branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase produce no Ba¹⁴ CO₃ beyond that observed for the controls.

A more refined method which improves the contrast between a positive assay for ¹⁴ CO₂, indicated by a dark spot on the autoradiogram as a result of Ba¹⁴ CO₃ formation, and a negative assay indicated by no spot or a very light spot, comprises the following modified screen.

Single colonies (see Step 4 above) were picked from the agar medium after 7-14 days of growth (rather than 2-3 weeks and assayed directly by steps 6 and 7 above). Step 5 of the above procedure is omitted.

An even more refined assay method which is quantitative in nature as regards ¹⁴ CO₂ release comprises growing the mutants detected by the above screens on a suitable medium comprising M9 salts medium with glucose, 1% and "Syncasa-bcaa", 0.1% (a synthetic mixture of L-amino acids with the approximate composition of commercial casamino acids, but without the presence of L-valine, L-isoleucine and L-leucine, see below).

After growth to high cell density, the cells were washed in M9 salts medium and resuspended in cold M9 salts medium containing 1% toluene which had been sonicated to produce a milky white dispersion of the toluene. The cell/buffer/toluene suspension was incubated for 40 minutes at 30° C. in order to permeabilize the cells. The permeabilized cells were then washed in M9 medium salts and finally resuspended in one-fifth the original volume of M9 medium buffer. 180 Microliters of this suspension were used per assay.

A reaction volume of 300 microliters contained the toluenized cells, thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), 0.4 mM; coenzyme A (CoA), 0.11 mM; nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), 0.68 mM, dithiothreitol (DTT), 2.6 mM; MgCl₂, 4.1 mM; Tris-HCl, 60 mM; Tris-HCl, 60 mM, pH 7.5; and [¹⁴ C-1]-2-oxoisocaproate, 6,000 cpm, microcurie per micromole. The efficiency of counting was 73%. The reaction was carried out in 15 ml scintillation vials containing a 2×2 cm Whatman #4 paper square pressed into the screw cap of the vial. The paper contains 30 microliters of 1M Hyamine Hydroxide (1M solution of methylbenzethonime hydroxide in methanol; available from Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo. 63178), which traps ¹⁴ CO₂ evolved in the reaction. After incubation for 2 hours, the papers are immersed in 10 ml of Beckman Aquasol II (Universal LSC (liquid scintillation counter) available from New England Nuclear Research Products, Boston, Mass. 02118 ) and the radioactivity measured in a liquid scintillation counter after equilibration in this solvent for 4 hours or more. A blank control reaction (i.e.--no cells) gives ca. 50-300 cpm.

Mutant I-3 and others like it gave counts that were less than or equal to the blank control reaction, whereas the parent strain gave counts several fold higher than blank control value.

Isolation of HL-026 Derivative (ATCC 53568) of S. Avermitilis I-3 (ATCC 53567)

S. avermitilis I-3 (ATCC 53567) was streaked out on nutrient agar plates. A relatively high frequency of spontaneous variants appeared, some of which lacked aerial mycelium upon 4 days incubation at 30° C. Several of such variants were isolated and tested for their ability to produce non-natural avermectins when fermented in AP-5 medium to which cyclopentane carboxylic acid was added. From the isolates, many of which produced non-natural avermectins free of natural avermectins, a strain which yielded higher titers of avermectins in flask experiments than its parent S. avermitilis I-3 (ATCC 53567) was assigned identification number HL-026 (ATCC 53568).

    ______________________________________                                         Composition of "Syncasa - bccaa", 100 fold Concentrate                                      grams/liter                                                       ______________________________________                                         L-alanine      3                                                               L-arginine     4                                                               L-aspartic acid                                                                               6                                                               L-cystine      1                                                               L-glutamic acid                                                                               20                                                              glycine        1                                                               L-histidine    2                                                               L-lysine       7                                                               L-methionine   3                                                               L-phenylalanine                                                                               6                                                               L-proline      10                                                              L-serine       6                                                               L-threonine    4                                                               L-tyrosine     4                                                               L-tryptophan   1                                                               ______________________________________                                    

The mixture is adjusted to pH 7 and filter sterilized. One volume of concentrate is added to 99 volumes of medium to achieve standard use concentrations.

The compositions of media used in the following are presented below.

    ______________________________________                                         AS-7 Medium                                                                                   g/l                                                             ______________________________________                                                thinned starch.sup.a                                                                     20                                                                   Ardamine pH.sup.b                                                                         5                                                                   Pharmamedia.sup.c                                                                        15                                                                   CaCO.sub.3                                                                                2                                                            ______________________________________                                          .sup.a Prepared by hydrolysis of starch by alphaamylase from Bacillus          licheniformis (available from Novo Enzymes, Wilton, CT and sold under the      trademark "Termamyl") to a dextrose equivalent of 40% ± 5%.                 .sup.b From Yeast Products, Inc., Clifton, NJ 07012                            .sup.c From Traders Protein., Memphis, TN 38108                          

Adjust pH to 7.2 with NaOH.

    ______________________________________                                         AP-5 Medium                                                                                         g/l                                                       ______________________________________                                         thinned starch         80                                                      Ardamine pH             5                                                      K.sub.2 HPO.sub.4       1                                                      MgSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O   1                                                      NaCl                    1                                                      CaCO.sub.3              7                                                      FeSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O   0.01                                                   MnCl.sub.2.7H.sub.2 O   0.001                                                  ZnSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O   0.001                                                  P-2000 (antifoam).sup.a                                                                                1 ml/l                                                 ______________________________________                                          .sup.a From The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Michigan 48640   Adjust pH to       6.9 with 25% NaOH.

General High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Sampling Procedures

Mobile Phase:

150 ml of water

70 ml of acetonitrile

bring to 1 liter with methanol

Column:

Ultrasphere ODS 25 cm (Beckman Instruments, Fullerton, Calif. 92634-3100)

flow: 0.75 ml/minute

detection: UV at 240 nm

attenuation: near 4

Sample Diluent (D):

35 ml acetonitrile plus 390 ml methanol

Samples:

1. Take 4 ml of well shaken broth; spin down.

2. Remove as much supernatant as possible without disturbing pellet.

3. Add 4 ml of diluent to the pellet and vortex mix to disperse.

4. Spin down and collect the supernatant.

5. Filter the supernatant and run on HPLC.

EXAMPLE 1 Ethylated Cyclopentyl Avermectins

A frozen vial of S. avermitilis HL-026 (ATCC 53568) was used to inoculate 100 ml of AS-7 medium in a 500 ml baffled flask which was incubated with shaking for 24-28 hours at 28°-30° C. Then, 1 ml of this culture was used to inoculate a 300 ml flask containing 40 ml of AP-5 (less NaCl but plus 0.6 g/l glutamic acid) medium. After approximately 96 hours of incubation at 28°-30° C. with shaking, 0.4 g/l of cyclopentane carboxylic acid (sodium salt) and 0.03 g/l of SAE were added. HPLC chromatography of a 312 hour sample showed ethylated cyclopentyl avermectins B2, A2 and B1 present with the following retention time ratios relative to their corresponding cyclopentyl avermectins,

    ______________________________________                                         monoethyl        CP-B2/CP-B2 = 1.10                                            diethyl          CP-B2/CP-B2 = 1.23                                            monoethyl        CP-A2/CP-A2 = 1.10                                            diethyl          CP-A2/CP-A2 = 1.26                                            monoethyl        CP-B1/CP-B1 = 1.10                                            diethyl          CP-B1/CP-B1 = 1.24.                                           ______________________________________                                          CP = cyclopentyl                                                         

EXAMPLE 2 Ethylated Cyclohexyl Avermectins

A frozen vial of S. avermitilis HL-026 (ATCC 53568) was used to inoculate 100 ml of AS-7 medium in a 500 ml baffled flask which was incubated with shaking for 24-28 hours at 28°-30° C. Then, 1 ml of this culture was used to inoculate a 300 ml flask containing 40 ml of AP-5 (less NaCl but plus 0.6 g/l glutamic acid) medium. After approximately 96 hours of incubation at 28°-30° C. with shaking, 0.2 g/l of cyclohexane carboxylic acid (sodium salt) and 0.03 g/l of SAE were added. Another 0.03 g/l of SAE was added at about 168 hours. HPLC chromatography of a 312 hour sample showed ethylated cyclohexyl avermectins B2, A2 and B1 present with the following retention time ratios relative to their corresponding cyclohexyl avermectins,

    ______________________________________                                         monoethyl        CH-B2/CH-B2 = 1.11                                            diethyl          CH-B2/CH-B2 = 1.25                                            monoethyl        CH-A2/CH-A2 = 1.11                                            monoethyl        CH-A2/CH-A2 = 1.13                                            diethyl          CH-B1/CH-B1 = 1.25                                            ______________________________________                                          CH = cyclohexyl                                                          

EXAMPLE 3

The procedure of Example 1 was followed but using the primer compounds listed below in place of cyclopentane carboxylic acid and, S. avermitilis HL-026 (ATCC 53568) or S. avermitilis I-3 (ATCC 53567) and the amounts of SAE indicated.

    ______________________________________                                         Primer Compound  Organism   SAE                                                (R--COOH; R═)                                                                               (ATCC No.) (g/l)                                              ______________________________________                                         cyclobutyl       53568      0.05                                               1-cyclopropylethyl                                                                              53568      0.03                                               3-furyl          53568      0.10                                               1-cyclohexenyl   53568      0.06                                               3-thienyl.sup.(b)                                                                               53568      0.03                                               4-methylthio-2-butyl                                                                            53568      0.01                                               cyclohexyl       53567      0.01                                               4-methoxy-2-butyl                                                                               53567      0.01                                               cyclooctyl       53567      0.08                                               2-thienyl        53567      0.06                                               2-hexyl          53567      0.03                                               cyclobutyl.sup.(c)                                                                              53567      0.06                                               3-thienyl        53568      0.06                                               ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) added as sodium salt                                                  .sup.(b) added as 3thiophenecarboxaldehyde                                     .sup.(c) added as ethyl cyclobutanecarboxylate                           

In each instance, the monoethyl and diethyl avermectins shown below are determined to be present by HPLC. In the table below R represents the C-25 substituent.

    ______________________________________                                                monoethyl       R-B2                                                           monoethyl       R-B1                                                           monoethyl       R-A2                                                           diethyl         R-B2                                                           diethyl         R-B1                                                           diethyl         R-A2                                                    ______________________________________                                     

We claim:
 1. A compound having the formula ##STR3## wherein X is a single or double bond; R¹ is H or OH; provided that when X is a single bond, R¹ is H or OH, and when X is a double bond R¹ is absent;R² is a disaccharide moiety having the formula ##STR4## wherein R³ and R⁴ are each CH₃ or C₂ H₅ ; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is C₂ H₅ ; R⁵ is H or CH₃ ; and R is an alpha-branched C₄ -C₈ alkyl which may be substituted by a C₁ -C₄ alkyl group, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, C₅ -C₈ cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl moiety of said group is C₂ -C₅ alkyl, C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl or C₅ -C₈ cycloalkenyl group either of which may be substituted by methylene or C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulfur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may be substituted by a C₁ -C₄ alkyl group or a halo atom; with the proviso that when R is alkyl it is not sec-butyl.
 2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R is C₄ -C₈ alkyl.
 3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R is C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl.
 4. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R is a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulfur containing heterocyclic ring.
 5. A compound according to claim 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl; R¹ is absent; and R⁵ is H.
 6. A Compound according to claim 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl; R¹ is OH; and R⁵ is H.
 7. A compound according to claim 4 wherein R is 3-thienyl; and R¹ is absent.
 8. A compound according to claim 4 wherein R is 3-furyl; and R¹ is OH.
 9. The compound according to claim 5 wherein each of R³ and R⁴ of the disaccharide moiety R² is ethyl.
 10. The compound according to claim 6 wherein each of R³ and R⁴ of the disaccharide moiety R² is ethyl.
 11. The compound according to claim 7 wherein R is 3-thienyl; and, in the disaccharide moiety, each of R³ and R⁴ is ethyl; and R⁵ is H.
 12. The compound according to claim 8 wherein R is 3-furyl; R⁵ is H; and, in the disaccharide moiety, each of R³ and R⁴ is ethyl.
 13. A composition for the treatment of parasitic infections in humans and animals which comprises an antiparasitic amount of a compound of claim 1 together with an inert diluent or carrier.
 14. A composition according to claim 13 in the form of a liquid drench or an oral or injectable formulation.
 15. A composition according to claim 13 in the form of an animal feedstuff or a premix or supplement for addition to animal feed.
 16. A method of treating a host suffering from parasitic infections or infestations which comprises contacting the organism responsible for said infection or infestation with an antiparasitic amount of a compound according to claim
 1. 17. A method of treating infestations of insects and agricultural pests which comprises contacting the insect or pest responsible for said infestation with an insecticidal or pesticidal amount of a compound according to claim
 1. 18. A process for preparation of a compound having the formula ##STR5## wherein X is a single bond or a double bond; R¹ is H or OH; provided that when X is a single bond, R¹ is H or OH, and when X is a double bond, R¹ is absent;R² is a disaccharide moiety having the formula ##STR6## wherein R³ and R⁴ are each CH₃ or C₂ H₅ ; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ C₂ H₅ ; R⁵ is H or CH₃ ; and R is an alpha-branched C₄ -C₈ alkyl which may be substituted by a C₁ -C₄ alkyl group, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, C₅ -C₈ cycloalkylalky group wherein the alkyl moiety is C₂ -C₅ alkyl; C₃ -C₈ cycloalkyl or C₅ -C₈ cycloalkenyl group either of which may be substituted by methylene or C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulfur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may be substituted by a C₁ -C₄ alkyl group or a halo atom; with the proviso that when R is alkyl, it is not sec-butyl, which comprises aerobically fermenting, in the presence of S-adenosylethionine, Streptomyces avermitilis ATCC 53567 or ATCC 53568 in an aqueous nutrient medium comprising an assimilable source of nitrogen, carbon and inorganic salts and a compound of the formula

    R-COOH,

or a compound convertible thereto by said S. avermitilis, wherein R is as defined above.
 19. A process according to claim 18 wherein R is cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, 3-thienyl, 3-furyl or 1-methylthioethyl. 